Irajá Silvestre: Casino Legislation Will Be “One Of The Biggest Positive Agendas” For Brazil In 2025

(Sponsored) Brazil has already made significant changes to its gambling legislation with the legalization of online gambling on January 1, 2025.

Now, it is once again looking at a shift in the gambling sector as efforts to legalize land-based casinos are progressing.

Senator Irajá Silvestre has been a strong advocate for this change, claiming that brick-and-mortar casino legislation will be “one of the biggest positive agendas” for the country in 2025.

Should casinos be legalized, it will increase tourism, generate employment opportunities, and boost government coffers.

Senator Irajá Silvestre Positive About Land-Based Casino Legislation

Senator Silvestre is optimistic that legalized casinos will bring significant economic benefits to Brazil through the signing into law of bill PL2.234/22.

The Senator believes that regulated gambling facilities will contribute to the country’s economy by attracting more tourists, creating jobs, and generating additional revenue from taxes, which can then be reinvested into public projects.

The Senator’s advocacy for the bill demonstrates a broader recognition that Brazil must modernize its gambling laws to meet global expectations.

Countries with thriving casino industries, like the US, Macau, and Singapore, have shown how brick-and-mortar casinos can improve the economic standing of a country.

Speaking at the SBC Summit in Rio, Silvestre said, “This is perhaps one of the biggest positive agendas for the country in 2025, without undermining the other projects that are also about to be voted on.”

Silvestre believes that legalization will have far-reaching impacts, with positive effects on both the entertainment and hospitality sectors in the country. Resorts, restaurants, and retail companies will likely benefit from an influx of tourists.

“I, for my part, am very confident, very hopeful, that we are going to approve this issue, which is an economic agenda and a social agenda… It is going to be a transforming project for the Brazilian economy,” he stated.

Current Status of Online Gambling In Brazil

Sports betting was legalized in 2018, and online gambling followed suite in January 2025. This has seen a surge in betting and gambling participation, with millions of Brazilians turning to online platforms to play casino games and place wagers.

There have been several challenges before reaching this point, though. Unregulated online platforms proliferated the industry, raising concerns about consumer protection and financial fraud. To combat this, the government enacted Law No. 14,790 in December 2023 to regulate the sector.

This legislation requires online operators to acquire licenses and adhere to anti-fraud measures while promoting responsible gambling.

At the start of 2025, the Prizes and Betting Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance announced 81 licensed operators who could offer online gambling services in Brazil. Any foreign operators have to establish a physical presence in the country.

Some big names in the sector that received licenses and provisional licenses included BETMGM, Caesars, SportyBet, and Betfair.

Some of the best crypto casinos are also offering offshore gambling options to Brazilians who want to enjoy a higher level of anonymity than casinos operating within the country’s jurisdiction.

New Gambling Regulations In Effect

Several new gambling regulations came into effect on January 1, 2025, that seek to regulate gambling in Brazil. These regulations establish rules for compliance, licensing, and taxation.

• Licensing requirements: Operators have to obtain a license and meet responsible gambling and transparency standards.
• Taxes: Operators must pay taxes based on gross gambling revenue (GGR). Adjustments will be allowed to the tax system to meet government revenue objectives and operator incentives.
• Advertising standards: Gambling ads may not target vulnerable individuals and operators must adhere to responsible marketing practices. The Normative Ordinance No. 1,902 currently restructures advertising for sports betting operators. Marketing must adhere to age restrictions.
• Consumer protections: Operators must enforce data privacy, responsible gambling, and financial fraud prevention strategies to reduce social harm and build trust with consumers.
• Partnerships: International online casino operators must establish a physical presence in Brazil by fostering local partnerships to ensure participation in the sector.

In Conclusion

The much-anticipated legalization of physical casinos, being advocated for by Senator Irajá Silvestre, will be an important event in Brazil’s gambling industry.

The attempts to sign bill PL2.234/22 into law, which have suffered several setbacks in 2024, highlight the economic benefits of a regulated casino sector while protecting consumers and the public by enforcing standards that must be complied with.

Should the wishes of Silvestre succeed, Brazil may be one of the biggest gambling markets in the world.

Although there remain concerns around the enforcement of regulations, the recent legalization of online gambling shows that there is potential for the gambling industry to be a significant revenue and employment generator for the country.

Silvestre is hopeful that the bill will be signed soon, saying, “I am confident that the Casino Law will be approved. I am convinced that we have enough votes to approve the PL in the Senate.”